Little Man
by Tess 4 5
Summary: This started as a pair of Don'tTalkTalk-story but while I wrote it I thought it needs a little more. So I put a little more to it. See how a little man can set things straight. Enjoy.


**Usual notes and disclaimer:** I don't own any of the original characters nor the original Inspector Lynley Mysteries – they belong to Elizabeth George and the BBC.

I have borrowed the characters from the TV-Show and solely own the ideas of _my _stories and the developments _I've_ let them go through.

Please let me know if I did something terribly wrong (rating, grammar, spelling...). Thanks!

Please read and review!

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**Author's note:** This started as a pair of Don'tTalkTalk-story but while I wrote it I thought it needs a little more. So I put a little more to it. See how a little man can set things straight. Enjoy.

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Everybody around seemed to be concentrated on something else. All present officers were busy or deep in conversation with each other when DI Lynley came out of the stable doors and saw the little man quietly standing somewhat lost in the middle of the yard. The inspector's eye searched the place for his sergeant but without success. He would have to handle the matter on his own.

With a deep sigh he went to the boy and knelt down.

"Hello, Mister, can I help you?" he asked.

"Why are so many people here?" the little one asked.

Lynley explained. "We're the police. We found out that a bad thing happened here and we came around to have a look. I am Tommy. I am their boss." he smiled. "And who are you?"

"Robert." Robbie explained with an earnest expression that his name actually is Robert but everybody calls him Robbie.

"So, may I call you Robbie then?"

"M-hm." The little man nodded.

"Are you alone here, Robbie?"

"No. I'm with Waffles." He held up a raddled toy dog.

"And are you two with someone else?"

"Nah."

"Where do you come from?"

"Polperro."

"Oh, so you're a Cornish man like I am." Lynley smiled though it was not easy to get the information he needed from this little one. "What business brought you here?"

"We're on holiday."

"And what are you doing on this yard?"

"Wanted to visit Mable."

"Who is Mable?"

"It's a pony." The expression on the little man's face told Lynley that Robbie thought it to be a very stupid question.

"Do your parents know you're here?"

"Of course. My Mummy gave me this." He held up an apple. "For Mable."

"And where is your Mummy now?" Lynley feared the worst.

Robbie pointed to the driveway. "She stayed in the hotel with my Pa."

Lynley was glad that the dead woman in the tractor garage obviously was not the mother of this little man. He hoped the family stayed in the B&amp;B they had passed while driving here. It was not too far away for a 6-year old boy, obviously familiar with rural life, one could tell from his clothings, to manage this short way on his own.

He looked up and saw his sergeant coming their way. With a relieved sigh he thought that Barbara could take over here.

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DS Havers just came out of the house when she saw her DI kneeling next to a little boy, deep in a conversation. They looked like father and son, she thought. The young one had dark hair like Tommy-

_You should not think of him as Tommy. The few dinners recently give you no right to do so. Stupid girl._ she immediately scolded herself.

But he had a similar earnest expression. The leather boots and the jeans he wore were nothing strange for a boy on a barn yard but she knew none of her neighbours to clad their child in such an expensive jacket. It actually looked the same like Tom- Lynley had on today. In fact together they both looked very cute being dressed so very much like she thought rural nobility would dress.

She watched them talking. Tommy had knelt next to him, obviously not caring that his expensive pants were put on muddy ground. The boy showed him his cuddly toy and Barbara saw Tommy nodding appreciative. After a few words of which she heard none she saw his face light up and he jovially boxed the little boy's shoulder with a grin.

Barbara's heart suddenly jumped joyfully. How sweet he was with this short version of himself. He would be the best father in the world. She watched him talking with the boy and felt her finally melting away. The longing in her belly could not be denied anymore. Finally she admitted to herself that she was stupidly and utterly in love with her DI. Following her recent discovery she put herself into gear. She needed an outlet for her overwhelming affection.

Holding up an apple the boy explained something and motioned around. Tommy's face went from fear to ease and much more relief when he spotted her coming towards them.

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Barbara reached the two.

"Hiya, you two."

The little Lord looked up with big and curious eyes. The grown up Lord looked up with a peaceful and appreciative smile.

"That's Barbara." he whispered conspiratorial to the boy. Then to Barbara: "This is my fellow-countryman Robbie."

"Hi Robbie." Barbara smiled to the boy and tousled his dark hair.

Then she bent down to Tommy, placed a hand on his shoulder and - much to everybody's surprise - gave him a quick but lovingly kiss on his lips that left him totally dumbfounded. That kiss was no short peck but a really soft encounter of their lips, too quick to be inappropriate but too lingering to be a kiss between just good friends.

Both had closed their eyes for those few seconds and Tommy deeply inhaled her scent that usually distracted him when he catched a sniff of it but at the moment, with her being so close to him, seemed to totally engulf him and shut away the world around them.

Barbara breathed in his aftershave and his own personal scent that she always tried to avoid for it always vaulted her out of the here and now, just like it did there and then. She straightened up herself but could not hide the love in her eyes.

"You seem to cope quite good with Robbie, Sir." Barbara said smiling. She did not know how she could speak at all. "Never again say that you can't handle the little ones!"

Feeling her heart beating in her throat she turned and walked away, her mind searching frantically for something to do that would keep her busy. Suddenly no SOCO and no officer was in sight.

Tommy watched her walking away. He was totally shocked about her brazenness. Yes, they had met in private recently but never would he have thought that she mirrored his arising feelings for her. Did she really just gave him a kiss? In front of all their colleagues who seemed to suddenly have vanished. _And in her eyes, was it really- ?!_

"Is she your girlfriend, Sir?" the little man asked.

"Umm, well, actually... not yet, little man, not yet." He smiled a dreamy smile into her back. _But it's just a question of time. Short time._

With that thought he got up, took Robbie up on his arms and followed his sergeant. Something needed to be done.

"Barbara, a word, please!"

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She stopped in her tracks, her heart now pounding merciless and pumping blood all through her body, making her blush red, deeper than she had ever been.

With Robbie on his right arm Tommy placed his left hand in her nape pulling her face close to his.

"I have a question." he whispered before their lips gently met. He did not let her go this time but she would not have backed away anyway. Her right arm went to his waist while they shared a long and tender kiss, oblivious of one of the SOCOs giggling nearby.

"Oh, wow..." Barbara sighed happily beaming at Tommy who grinned like a cat after a bowl of creamy canary soup. Then he turned a serious face towards the little man on his arm.

"Well, yes, I think she is."

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